Watchful Eyes
by Hemsee
Summary: Damon and Elena's slow romance as seen through the most unlikely pair of eyes. Teddy's perspective.


**Summary:** Damon and Elena's slow romance as seen through the most unlikely pair of eyes.

* * *

**Author's Note:** First author note ever made at the beginning of a story! This one-shot is another fluff bomb, here to help other fellow readers to cheer up after the most moving, heart-breaking Damon/Elena – or _any _actually – scene ever. I dedicate this to_xXIceshadowXx_, because she's an amazing reviewer, and I need to show her my endless gratitude. Thank you for having something to say about my stories always! I took liberties with the prompt you gave me for your one-shot, but I hope you don't mind :).

Enjoy it, pley-heys! And drop in a review!

* * *

**~ Watchful Eyes ~**

**

* * *

**

The first time he sees Damon – _really _sees Damon – is when Elena asks him to come over to talk about Stefan. He struts in the room like he owns it, and settles immediately on the bed. He takes him in his hands carefully – Teddy appreciates that because, these days, most people aren't too careful with him – and lays him on his stomach. Damon's really handsome, he realizes, and kind of helpful too; he _hears _Elena out for one, and he makes good points. _"Stefan doesn't want to be me…it doesn't mean, deep down, that he's not." _

Teddy knows that Elena sees the truth in Damon's words; she's staring at him with that look in her eyes; the one where she knows the person is right, but she doesn't want to admit it. Elena _always _was the stubborn kind of girl.

And then, Damon walks over to Elena, stands so close to her he's invading her personal space and then some, and he's clicking his tongue at her and Teddy's amused because it's obvious that he wants to kiss her badly – his lips are _this close _to Elena's after all – but he's refraining for some reason.

Is he a gentleman? Somehow, Teddy doubts it.

Is he a gentleman to Elena?

Teddy thinks that rings more true.

Damon leaves with a charming smile and a wink not so long after that, but Elena stays rooted to her spot for a while. Teddy starts to wonder why until he sees Elena lick her lips, and he understands.

She was thinking about kissing him too.

* * *

The next time Teddy sees Damon, it's not pretty. Not pretty at all.

Teddy feels wistful; he had higher hopes for the handsome, blue-eyed vampire. He still does.

As it is, Jeremy's still lying on the floor, but he predictably wakes up after five undeniably tense minutes, and Elena cries out her relief and pulls him even closer.

"_I hate him," _she says to Stefan.

Teddy knows she's lying.

* * *

Elena's upset with Damon – and who wouldn't be, really – and Teddy knows he's not going to see Damon for a while. It's a pity; he kind of misses him.

And he knows Elena misses him too, even if she won't tell anyone else.

She tells him though – every odd night, when she cries herself to sleep, her nose buried in his fur. That night when Damon killed Jeremy? Elena didn't sleep _at all_. She just kept crying, whispering _"Damon" _in between every hiccup, every gasp of breath.

Teddy feels for her – he would cry too, if he was her.

Crying is the only thing you _can _do when you lose the person you love the most, after all.

* * *

Teddy is sure there must be some dust covering his eyes because that _can't _possibly Damon sitting on Elena's windowsill.

But then he sees the blue, blue eyes – a blue he hasn't seen in anyone of Elena's friends – and he knows the impossible has happened. Damon's really _there _and his fingers are playing with something Teddy can't quite see from where he is.

Elena walks in right then, and Teddy forces himself to sit back and watch.

Later on, he truly wishes he could cry, or had some mobility in his arms to hug Elena.

Because, what Damon did was probably the most _selfless _thing he has ever seen – sacrificing his happiness for hers.

"_I __**love**__ you Elena, and it's because I love you that I can't be selfish with you"_

The way he looks at her – like she's the only person in the world that matters – speaks volumes alone. A blind man can see Damon's truly in love with Elena, Teddy thinks.

"_I don't __**deserve **__you – but my brother does" _

The raw vulnerability and honesty in his eyes pain Teddy; Damon's stripped to the core – protective walls and facades damned – for the girl in front of him.

For the girl he _loves_.

"_God, I wish you didn't have to forget this"_

The tear that escapes the blue, blue eyes as he compels her moves Teddy far more than anything Damon has said or done tonight, and he watches him speed away, watches Elena blink and stare confusedly at her surroundings, her hands coming up to touch the necklace that wasn't nestled to her throat only a moment ago. He watches her slowly sit on her bed, one hand still on the necklace as the other reaches out for Teddy.

She's silent, her eyes are unfocused, and Teddy's aching because he realizes that she probably (definitely) doesn't remember the conversation – and for the first time, her face is an unreadable mask even to him.

"_Damon"_

Teddy feels a drop of water on his fur.

* * *

"So how'd you get him exactly?"

It's many, many, months later, and Damon's sprawled on Elena's bed, hands around him, and eyeing Teddy curiously.

Elena's smiling bemusedly behind Damon. "My mom gave him to me when I was three."

"Interesting," Damon says, still looking at him. He really has beautiful eyes, Teddy thinks. "I like him," he finally pronounces.

"I'm glad you approve of him," Elena replies, amused. She reaches out and Damon grabs her gently by the waist. He pulls her to him and presses a small kiss to her forehead before he claims her mouth with his. His hands pull away from Teddy slowly as they wrap themselves around Elena's waist. Teddy's not offended; he's happy that they've finally made it through together. It took time and anger and tears, sure, but in the end, here they are, and that's all that matters in Teddy's eyes.

"You know," Elena murmurs softly, arms around Damon's neck. "My mom once told me that a teddy-bear is a girl's guardian – he's there when she needs the comfort, and he watches her make her way through life. 'He'll be there for you when no one else can,' she said. That's why she brought me Teddy."

"Well then, you're giving him one hell of a show. I hope he's enjoying it," Damon says as he kisses Elena again.

Teddy can't suppress a smile.


End file.
